Adding extra value
There are many things in our lives that are just ‘there’, without necessarily being consciously connected to. Some of them are surprisingly important in how we manage situations and in decisions we make. For many, personal values can fall into this category of being crucial but potentially unexamined, (particularly if having a faith is not at play). And the same can be true of wider communities and organisations and their shared values. Yet, when other factors are stripped away, our values are what we hold at our core and what we fall back on when some direction or steerage is required.
In my pre-term message on Tuesday evening, I made mention of the five values-related words which were distilled from much staff discussion during the course of last year:
Heart, Excellence, Joy, Integrity and Respect.
The first regular newsletter of term seemed a good place in which to start to expand on these a little, as we more consciously focus upon them within school. Of course, there will have been – and may yet be in the future – times when as individuals we could do things better and may fall short of our values. And Pilgrims’ is no different. By identifying and focusing upon particular values-related words, we aspire to reflect them at all times, while recognising that, as Alexander Pope put it, to err is human.
‘Heart’ is a deliberately broad word. It speaks of love, kindness, compassion and courage.
‘Excellence’ is usefully framed within the idea of one’s own ‘personal excellence’ at any given point. It speaks of aspiring and giving one’s best, whatever stage of development that may be at.
‘Joy’ is in recognition that not everything can always be ‘fun’, in the more frivolous sense. But joy can be taken from overcoming and achieving, from promoting a positive and enthusiastic mindset.
‘Integrity’ is deliberately dual-aspect. All of our values resonate with our Christian foundation, and Integrity brings a particular sense of honesty, moral fortitude and being true to yourself. It also carries a sense of one-ness across a diverse and, part international community.
‘Respect’ is clearly fundamental in underlying much of the above, from areas covered by ‘Heart’ to the one-ness in ‘Integrity’. It exhorts members of the school community to appreciate the characteristics and feelings of others.
I look forward to taking these forward further with staff and boys across the year such that we become more actively aware of how we manifest these in our wonderful community. The plentiful rain in the last 36 hours has not brought much Joy of its own, but I look forward to the drinks this evening and to the boys continuing the super start that they have made.
Tim Butcher
Headmaster
